ततो हि देवा ऋषिपन्नगाश्च प्रपूजिरे ह्यप्सरसश्च सर्वाः । दिष्ट्या जयो दाशरथेरवाप्तस्त्यक्त्वा भयं सर्प इव प्रशान्तः ।। ७.६९.
Then the gods, seers, serpents, and all the Apsarases honored him, saying, 'By fortune, victory has come to the son of Daśaratha; let fear be abandoned, as a serpent becomes calm.'
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे एकोनसप्ततितमः सर्गः
Thus ends the sixty-ninth sarga in the glorious Uttarakāṇḍa of the ancient and revered Rāmāyaṇa, composed by Vālmīki.
हते तु लवणे देवाः सेन्द्राः साग्निपुरोगमाः । ऊचुः सुमधुरां वाणीं शत्रुघ्नं शत्रुतापनम् ।। ७.७०.
When Lavaṇa was slain, the gods with Indra and Agni at their head spoke sweet words to Śatrughna, the scorcher of foes.
दिष्ट्या ते विजयो वत्स दिष्ट्या लवणराक्षसः । हतः पुरुषशार्दूल वरं वरय सुव्रत ।। ७.७०.
'By fortune, you have won, child; by fortune, Lavaṇa the Rākṣasa is slain. O best of men, O steadfast one, choose a boon.'
वरदास्तु महाबाहो सर्व एव समागताः । विजयाकाङ्क्षिणस्तुभ्यममोघं दर्शनं हि नः ।। ७.७०.
'All of us, O mighty-armed one, have come here as givers of boons, desiring your victory; for our sight is never in vain.'
देवानां भाषितं श्रुत्वा शूरो मूर्ध्नि कृताञ्जलिः । प्रत्युवाच महाबाहुः शत्रुघ्नः प्रयतात्मवान् ।। ७.७०.
Hearing the words of the gods, the valiant Shatrughna, with hands joined upon his head, replied, his mind disciplined and his arms mighty.
इयं मधुपुरी रस्या मधुरा देवनिर्मिता । निवेशं प्राप्नुयाच्छीघ्रमेष मे ऽस्तु वरः परः ।। ७.७०.
This city of Madhu is delightful, sweet, and fashioned by the gods; let me quickly obtain its settlement—may this supreme boon be granted to me.
तं देवाः प्रीतमनसो बाढमित्येव राघवम् । भविष्यति पुरी रम्या शूरसेना न संशयः ।। ७.७०.
The gods, well pleased, said to Raghava, 'So be it!'—this city shall indeed be beautiful, O Shurasena, without doubt.
ते तथोक्त्वा महात्मानो दिवमारुरुहुस्तदा । शत्रुघ्नो ऽपि महातेजास्तां सेनां समुपानयत् ।। ७.७०.
Having spoken thus, those great souls then ascended to heaven; and Shatrughna, radiant in energy, gathered his army together.
सा सेना शीघ्रमागच्छच्छ्रुत्वा शत्रुघ्नशासनम् । निवेशनं च शत्रुघ्नः श्रावणेन समारभत् ।। ७.७०.
That army came swiftly, having heard Shatrughna’s command; and Shatrughna began the settlement at the time of Shravana.
सा पुरा दिव्यसङ्काशा वर्षे द्वादशमे शुभे । निविष्टा शूरसेनानां विषयश्चाकुतोभयः ।। ७.७०.
That city, shining with divine splendor, was settled in the auspicious twelfth year, becoming the secure domain of the Shurasenas.
क्षेत्राणि सस्ययुक्तानि काले वर्षति वासवः । अरोगवीरपुरुषा शत्रुघ्नभुजपालिता ।। ७.७०.
The fields, rich with crops, flourished as Indra sent timely rains; the people, healthy and heroic, were protected by Shatrughna’s arm.
अर्धचन्द्रप्रतीकाशा यमुनातीरशोभिता । शोभिता गृहमुख्यैश्च चत्वरापणवीथिकैः । चातुर्वर्ण्यसमायुक्ता नानावाणिज्यशोभिता ।। ७.७०.
Resembling a half-moon and adorned by the banks of the Yamuna, it was beautified with splendid houses, crossroads, markets, and streets, inhabited by all four orders and resplendent with diverse commerce.
यच्च तेन पुरा शुभ्रं लवणेन कृतं महत् । तच्छोभयति शत्रुघ्नो नानावर्णोपशोभिताम् ।। ७.७०.
Whatever great and splendid work had once been done there by Lavana, Shatrughna now made even more beautiful, adorned with people of many colors.
आरामैश्च विहारैश्च शोभमानं समन्ततः । शोभितां शोभनीयैश्च तथा ऽन्यैर्दैवमानुषैः ।। ७.७०.
With gardens and pleasure-grounds shining all around, it was further adorned by other splendid things, both divine and human.
तां पुरीं दिव्यसङ्काशां नानापण्योपशोभिताम् । नानादेशागतैश्चापि वणिग्भिरुपशोभिताम् ।। ७.७०.
That city, radiant as the gods, was adorned with many kinds of merchandise and with merchants who had come from various regions.
तां समृद्धां समृद्धार्थः शत्रुघ्नो भरतानुजः । निरीक्ष्य परमप्रीतः परं हर्षमुपागमत् ।। ७.७०.
Beholding that prosperous city, Shatrughna, the prosperous younger brother of Bharata, was filled with the highest joy and supreme delight.
तस्य बुद्धिः समुत्पन्ना निवेश्य मधुरां पुरीम् । रामपादौ निरीक्षे ऽहं वर्षे द्वादश आगते ।। ७.७०.
Then a thought arose in him: 'Having settled the city of Madhura, when the twelfth year is complete, I shall go to behold Rama’s feet.'
ततः स ताममरपुरोपमां पुरीं निवेश्य वै विविधजनाभिसंवृताम् । नराधिपो रघुपतिपाददर्शने दधे मतिं रघुकुलवंशवर्धनः ।। ७.७०.
Having established that city, rivaling the city of the immortals and filled with people of every kind, the king, the enhancer of the Raghu line, resolved to go and see the feet of Rama.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे सप्ततितमः सर्गः
Thus ends the seventieth sarga of the glorious Uttarakanda in the ancient and revered Ramayana composed by sage Valmiki.
ततो द्वादशमे वर्षे शत्रघ्नो रामपालिताम् । अयोध्यां चकमे गन्तुमल्पभृत्यबलानुगः ।। ७.७१.
Then, in the twelfth year, Shatrughna, accompanied by a small retinue and force, desired to go to Ayodhya, ruled by Rama.
ततो मन्त्रिपुरोगांश्च बलमुख्यान्निवर्त्य च । जगाम हयमुख्यैश्च रथानां च शतेन सः ।। ७.७१.
Then, after sending back his chief ministers and leading warriors, he departed with the best horses and a hundred chariots.
स गत्वा गणितान्वासान्सप्ताष्टौ रघुनन्दनः । वाल्मीक्याश्रममागत्य वासं चक्रे महायशाः ।। ७.७१.
Having traveled and spent seven or eight nights on the way, the illustrious descendant of Raghu arrived at Valmiki’s hermitage and stayed there.
सो ऽभिवाद्य ततः पादौ वाल्मीकेः पुरुषर्षभः । पाद्यमर्ध्यं तथातिथ्यं जग्राह मुनिहस्ततः ।। ७.७१.
Then, the foremost among men, having bowed to Vālmīki and touched his feet, received water for washing the feet and the honored offerings of hospitality from the sage’s hand.
बहुरूपाः सुमधुराः कथास्तत्र सहस्रशः । कथयामास स मुनिः शत्रुघ्नाय महात्मने ।। ७.७१.
There, the sage recounted to the great-souled Śatrughna thousands of stories, diverse in form and exceedingly sweet.
उवाच च मुनिर्वाक्यं लवणस्य वधाश्रितम् । सुदुष्करं कृतं कर्म लवणं निघ्नता त्वया ।। ७.७१.
And the sage spoke words concerning the slaying of Lavaṇa: 'A most difficult deed was accomplished by you in killing Lavaṇa.'
बहवः पार्थिवाः सौम्य हताः सबलवाहनाः । लवणेन महाबाहो युध्यमाना महाबलाः ।। ७.७१.
Many kings, O gentle one, powerful and mighty, along with their armies and vehicles, were slain by Lavaṇa in battle.
स त्वया निहतः पापो लीलया पुरुषर्षभ । जगतश्च भयं तत्र प्रशान्तं तव तेजसा ।। ७.७१.
But that wicked one was slain by you with ease, O foremost among men; and the terror in the world was calmed by your brilliance.
रावणस्य वधो घोरो यत्नेन महता कृतः । इदं तु सुमहत्कर्म त्वया कृतमयत्नतः ।। ७.७१.
The dreadful slaying of Rāvaṇa was accomplished with great effort; but this exceedingly great deed was done by you without exertion.
प्रीतिश्चास्मिन्परा जाता देवानां लवणे हते । भूतानां चैव सर्वेषां जगतश्च प्रियं कृतम् ।। ७.७१.
Great joy arose among the gods when Lavaṇa was slain; and for all beings, as well as the world, you have done what is dear.